At the city gate, there was a large plaza that had been cleared.
Initially designed as a gathering place for troops or martial artists, it now served another function. Those who went out hunting or on missions would gather and organize here, effectively turning it into a market area. Martial artists would exchange and sell the good items they acquired outside.
By early morning, the place was already packed with people, bustling with activity.
Here, you could see third and fourth-stage martial artists from the Siege City, engaging in conversations with each other.
The mechanism within the Siege City was divided into soldiers and martial artists. Soldiers were built according to military standards, with orders that had to be absolutely obeyed. But martial artists were different; they were very free and would only be regulated when the Siege City was under threat.
Now Zhou Zheng finally understood what it meant for the whole city to gamble. Almost all the martial artists were involved in this gamble.
The bankers were these martial artists themselves. In the Siege City, only they had the strength and capital to accept bets. Several major betting pools represented different factions among the martial artists in the Siege City, and they naturally wouldn't miss out on such a prime opportunity for profit.
When Zhou Zheng arrived at the forecourt plaza, Yan Boxun was already standing in the center, dressed in full military attire, with a proud and indifferent expression on his face.
Around Yan Boxun stood many people, all with fawning expressions.
In the Siege City, most people knew him as Instructor Yan, but they overlooked his other identity as Yan Chuan's son. Before becoming a shooting instructor, he was known as Young Master Yan, ranking first in the entire circle.
For someone like him, having a bunch of sycophants was not surprising.
In contrast, Zhou Zheng, who was nominally the true first young master, paled in comparison, almost blending into the background. Besides his guards, no one else approached him. The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.
As Zhou Zheng stepped into the plaza, the previously lively area suddenly fell silent, with everyone staring at him.
Moments later, low murmurs of discussion began to rise among the crowd.
"He really dared to come. I thought he'd hide under his covers and let the leader clean up his mess."
The Rogue's hearing was far superior to ordinary people, and although the voices were low, they reached Zhou Zheng's ears. His expression remained unchanged as he walked up to Yan Boxun. His attire was neat and efficient, his face confident yet calm, his eyes cold and unruffled. The scabbard tied to his thigh added a visual impact, and his black military boots tucked in his pants.
Just standing there naturally, he seemed to disappear from your sight, yet stood like a carved statue.
It had to be said, at this moment, Zhou Zheng's charisma and aura surpassed Yan Boxun's.
Some women in the plaza all turned their heated gazes towards Zhou Zheng, feeling that he exuded true masculinity. The jeers that had been directed at Zhou Zheng turned into faint, excited screams.
"Young Master Zhou is quite impressive."
Yan Boxun chuckled lightly. Although there was a hint of unease in his heart, he didn't show it and said calmly, "I just wonder if Young Master Zhou's marksmanship is as impressive as he appears now. Heh, I suppose Young Master Zhou's marksmanship must be extraordinary, otherwise why switch to archery?"
Hearing these mocking words, those around Yan Boxun let out suppressed chuckles.
Lan Xi and Zhou An, seeing Yan Boxun dismiss Zhou Zheng, both showed angry expressions. No matter what, Zhou Zheng was the leader's son, his status higher than Yan Boxun's. To mock Zhou Zheng like this was akin to slapping the leader in the face.
"Instructor Yan, please mind your words."
It was Zhou An who spoke.
Yan Boxun still chuckled lightly, glanced at Zhou An, and said, "When the master speaks, the dogs below should stay silent."
Zhou An's arm immediately tensed with bulging veins, a faint glow emanating from him as Star Power circulated. He gritted his teeth, his brow twitching, his hand unconsciously reaching for his weapon. Even Lan Xi's eyes were blazing with anger.
Zhou Zheng's expression remained unchanged as he placed his hand on Zhou An's, saying, "Forget it, if the dozens of dogs behind him aren't angry, why should you be?"
The faces of those who had been smug behind Yan Boxun suddenly changed drastically. If Zhou An and the others were dogs, then what did that make them, following Yan Boxun? They were all martial artists, some even on par with Yan Boxun, respected within the Siege City, yet now being likened to dogs...
Zhou Zheng stood with Lan Xi and the others not far from Yan Boxun, his expression still confident and calm.
For such a grand event in the Siege City, the management wouldn't just sit idly by. Zhou Hongqiang didn't appear, but Yu Jianzhong, the brigade leader, showed up at the plaza to oversee the competition and determine the final result.
Yu Jianzhong dressed like an ordinary middle-aged man, with a face full of smiles.
When he reached the two of them, he only gave Zhou Zheng a brief glance before focusing more on Yan Boxun. In truth, Yan Boxun was half his disciple, having always received his guidance. Yu Jianzhong was quite pleased with Yan Boxun's rapid progress.
The other person who received Yu Jianzhong's guidance was Zhou Zheng.
Unfortunately...
Since Zhou Zheng's transmigration, he hadn't sought Yu Jianzhong's guidance, and Yu Jianzhong was disinclined to teach him further.
Yu Jianzhong didn't waste words, calling Zhou Zheng and Yan Boxun forward, saying, "This competition was agreed upon by both parties, and the result will be determined by the value of the prey. As for the so-called marksmanship, it's not part of the rules. Whether you use a gun or something else, it ultimately depends on whose prey is more valuable." Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping.com.
The seemingly impartial rules were actually unfavorable to Zhou Zheng.
One was an Apprentice Martial Artist, the other a Third-Stage Martial Artist, a gap as vast as the difference between a firefly and the bright moon.
If it were purely about hunting with firearms, Zhou Zheng might have been able to create a miracle.
But without restrictions, even a fool could predict the outcome.
Zhou Zheng's lips curled into a smile, while Yan Boxun was smug, provocatively staring at Zhou Zheng with a look that clearly said, "You're doomed."
Yu Jianzhong looked at Zhou Zheng with some pity and asked, "If you have no objections, the competition will start at nine and must end by seven in the evening. Otherwise, no matter how valuable the prey, one side will be deemed the loser. Remember, this is the apocalypse, and your safety is the top priority."
Yan Boxun nodded, "Brigade leader, I have no objections."
"I have no objections."
With both of them nodding in agreement, Yu Jianzhong checked the time and waved his hand, "You may set off now, and remember to stay safe."
...
Under the towering city wall, Zhou Hongqiang stood with his hands behind his back, watching the two young figures disappear into the distant forest, letting out a heavy sigh.
Beside Zhou Hongqiang was a burly man with a tiger-like back and a bear-like waist, exuding an imposing aura.
"Leader, shouldn't we send some people to secretly protect the young master?"
As a father, who would want to see their son in danger? However... Zhou Hongqiang's face showed determination as he said, "No need. In this apocalypse, survival depends on oneself. Who can protect him for a lifetime? Facing crises will at least help him grow."
"But the Toxic Corpses' movements..."
Zhou Hongqiang looked into the distance and said, "As long as they don't go beyond 20 kilometers from the Siege City, the Toxic Corpses are just low-level ones."
Neither Zhou Zheng nor Yan Boxun had the ability to go beyond 20 kilometers. The mutant beasts near the Siege City alone would stop them in their tracks.
...